The EMERGEncy ID NET program is a sentinel network of 11 geographically-diverse, university-affiliated hospital emergency departments in the United States. This program, which has been funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) since 1995, was established to address the threat of emerging infectious diseases by assessing disease prevalence, risk factors, and management practices for acute presentations from the community among a diverse population presenting to emergency departments. EMERGEncy ID NET has prospectively conducted several investigations, most recently addressing uropathogen antimicrobial resistance and outcomes among patients with acute pyelonephritis;specific host gene responses to infections;emergency physicians'(EPs) attitudes towards smallpox vaccination and perceived risk of a bioterrorist threat;and the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among patients with skin and soft tissue infections. The specific aim for the EMERGEncy ID NET program is to continue collaboration with the CDC to conduct ongoing investigations of various emerging infections in the United States. This will be accomplished by: 1) identifying emerging infections among emergency department patients;2) developing study objectives and materials;3) obtaining necessary approvals to conduct the research from Human Subject Protection Committees;4) implementing the studies through enrollment and follow-up of emergency department patients;5) managing data collected;6) generating results from studies and reporting our findings in peer-reviewed publications and at scientific conferences. The accomplishments of the EMERGEncy ID NET program over the past 10 years demonstrate its capability to rapidly address a variety of urgent public health infectious disease problems and propagate the results of investigations effectively to infectious diseases, public health, and emergency medicine Practitioners, and to the public.